The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-24


During the National drills at Wash
lngton, whea competitive cOmpa-
lies from all parts Of tire Republic
had gathered at the capital, 1t was
sngges ted and discussed that it
won d be nice thing to return to
the Southern States the Confeder-
ate flags which were captured from
their companies during the late war.
The flags We're boxed up at the close
Of the war, and stored away in an
attic III the gallery of the War De-
partment. They are lying mold-
Ing aud rottmg' They are OF no
service 10 The government. They
are occupying space needed for 9TH
er purposes. So the subject was
discussed ana Adjutant Drum of
the War Department--who was a
federal general during the late war,
and who is now . stalwart Repub- =
lican-recommended to Secretary
Endicott of tie War Department
that they lie returned. The Sec.
rotary was well pleased with the
suggestion, and laid the matter be.
fore President Cleveland, and urg-
ed him to consent to such a disposal
OF The flags The President very
cautiously enquired if there was any
precedent Of authority to warrant
such an action, whereupon he was
informed that calls had been made
by Northern States for federal flags
which had been stored away in like
manner and that the calls had been
granted, The flags removed, and
We're now in possession Of the states
to which they belonged. The Pres
ident thereupon agreed orally to the
removal Of the flags to the Southern
States to which they belonged.
This threw the fat in the fire, The
q. A. K. that is the grand Army Of
the Republic, Immediately began to
kick, scream, yell and cry aloud
"Rebellion.' Gen. FairchIld, Il e
immense assiniue Chief Of the q, A
+. forthwith pulled his halr, tore
Of his shirt, jerked down his breech-
es, and cried aloud with a s;muIa-
ted mixture OF aHectation and rase
10 the following language:
MAY God palsy the hand that
wrote the order-maY God palsy
the brain that conceived it and may
God palsy the tongue that dictated
it." THIS forced rampaa e
Is as destitute of patri-
otto sense or feeling as an ignonin@
ious clam shell. Its but the rant
ing of "A demagogue in whose bon
mel buzzes he presidential bee. II
is a bid for the soldier votes. It's
an effort to estrange Democratic I'M
ion soldiers from the Democratic
parry, and enlist them for the Re-
publican / arty. It Is an attempt to
excite and renew war prejudices and
sectional hostility; But President
Gle veland has very wisely revoked
this order, and now the tattered and
dreaded rebel flags will continue to
smolder and slumber in their plain,
box collins in the war Department
of the Great Republic.
The people Of the South do not
desire, neither have they, nor will
tn ey AJAX for these flags. If we had
them, they would be naught TO us
but remin ders of crimson LATHE
fields, strewed with lifeIess soldiers,
aid wet with human blood. We
don't want them. But it does ex~
cite our Disgust to witness an at
tempt 10 InjuIe the presidential
prospects of our chief magistrate
for re- election in this way. Cleve
land is a wise and good
man, and the truth is he
is the broadestand purest statesman
that has welded the scepter Of this
Republic since the good Old days of
Democratic rule III anti benum
times.